Contents

Great Britain is not a natural creation, but the marriage of separate kingdoms and peoples. The new nation has been through a century of unparalleled turbulence: an unwelcome joining of Scotland and England; religious strife; civil wars; an executed king; military dictatorship; a populist monarch restored; and the overthrow of a second king. Less than 15 years ago, the hated Catholic James II was forced into exile in the Glorious Revolution and a Protestant monarchy restored. A short, vicious war in Ireland put paid to any chance of a Catholic Stuart restoration. Nonetheless, the exiled James Stuart has sympathisers, the Jacobites, throughout Britain. Despite – or perhaps because of – this turbulent history, Britain is an engine driving the scientific and cultural advancement of northern Europe: turmoil fuels creativity.

As an island nation, Britons have always looked to, as Shakespeare puts it:

“…the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house…”

Britain’s strength lies at sea, but in trade and colonisation as much as naval power. Trade taxes pay for the navy; the navy allows unhindered trade. The English Channel keeps the French at bay and, to a lesser extent, the Dutch. With Dutchman William III on the British throne, there is ambivalence in the traditional rivalry with the Netherlands!

The English and Scots like to think that they can sleep safe, that no foreign invader or tyranny need worry them. They are partly right, but only as long as there is no centralised Continental power. A nation that can unite the resources of Europe will surely crush the dream of Albion. This, then, is the fundamental aim of Britain: to side with the weak in Europe against the strong – and steal as many overseas possessions as possible while doing it!

On land, Great Britain possesses arguably the best line infantry of all the factions, excellent and varied light infantry, standard artillery, and good light and heavy cavalry. As one of the most powerful naval powers in Empire: Total War, Great Britain begins their campaign with an unusually high number of ports, navies, and three very good admirals. This early strength can allow Britain to dominate the seas before other nations could marshal their navies. Britain has access to the full roster of European ships; in addition, most British ships have +15 to reloading skill and increased hull strength. Britain has the ability to train an unusually high variety of unique units, including Rogers' Rangers, Coldstream Guards, The Black Watch, HMS Victory, Ferguson Riflemen, and more. Three DLCs, the Elite Units of the West, Elite Units of America, and Special Forces & Bonus Content all add to new, unique units to the roster.

Great Britain begins the Grand Campaign in an excellent position, with a near-impregnable home base due to its status as an island-nation and its powerful fleet. Its holdings in the Americas, while tenuous, have great potential for expansion and investment, and its head start in terms of naval power gives it plenty of options for invasions and seizing trade theatres. It also faces powerful obstacles, however. Spain and France are hostile and inevitably declare war sooner or later. In the Americas, conflict usually arises with the Huron Confederacy, Cherokee Nations, and Iroquois Confederacy.

Great Britain has probably the most ambitious mission goals, with required territories ranging from Hindustan to Egypt to New France to Gibraltar.